Laxatives as a child

Tillie,

which was your "healthy dose" of Castor Oil?

Magnesium Citrate - Lemon Flavor, I remember getting that a few times...I didn't mind getting get it. Done at bedtime and not sure if I also got an enema the next morning... Not sure why I was given that instead of the oh so dreaded Ivory Snow solution enema -- and thus, since I hated enemas and didn't mind the Mag. Cit. wasn't that used more often? As an adult I felt to embarrassed (not the right word) to discuss my enemas with my mom..

My mom's favorite was Syrup of Figs, a sickly brown liquid which she poured out of a dark bottle into a tablespoon and ordered me to swallow. I hated the stuff and only opened my mouth when she told me that if I didn't take it she could always go back to giving me suppositories again.

Oh you poor people who had to take laxatives ... mom was never a believer in them, don't believe we ever had them in our house ... mom had explained the merits of enemas as opposed to the slower working/;much messier situations created by laxatives.

Both my sister and I understood mom's reasoning ... friends told us of the discomforts and other things associated with laxatives, we accepted the enemas whenever she said it was time we had one ... she always made them very private events (e.g. dad was out of the house and it was just mom and us two girls).

If it was just a regular cleansing time, we usually got a soapy enema with a couple rinse enemas; if we were ill, it was usually two soapy ones and the rinse enemas.

Like I said, with mom's explanation, plus an understanding we would not complain when it was time to have an enema, we both got to enjoy them, used them on a regular basis to date for both health and recreational reasons.

My mother had read medical books or magazines that warned against strong laxatives, so she relied on paraffin oil (a kind of indigestible grease which, after being eaten, lubricates the bowels.. and sometimes produces oily anal leaks), prunes, and glycerin suppositories. All of this was mild and I'm glad for it.

I spent part of my childhood in an orphanage and it didnt matter what was wrong, Castor oil or large enemas got handed out . When you didnt feel well you kept your mouth shut . As it was somebody always looked "sickly" and the sister would volunteer you. At that point No was not an option ,they would hold you down until you took your medicine ,one orifice or the other. You probably realized it didnt matter where it went in ,it was going to come out sooner or later.

Mom considered an enema the most effective solution. But I do remember a time when I was ten or eleven, I maybe protested a bit too much that I did not want an enema that mom offered me the choice of Castoria or an enema. I chose the Castoria. Big mistake. The next day was a school day and during one of the early classes it hit. I nearly did not make it to the restroom. I learned that an enema was far more predictable. You know when it is going to happen.

Since then, I have avoided oral laxatives. My first choice is an enema every time. Occasionally a suppository, but mostly for a change of pace.

My mothers first choice for not having had a BM for a few days was always MOM - milk of magnesia. This was the treatment of choice only for not having had a BM, not for stomach ache or stomach flu symptom. That's when the enema bag came out of the bathroom cabinet.

I didn't like the taste of milk of magnesia and it would make me gag sometimes when swallowing it. But it was preferable to an enema, which at the time I hated even more. How times have changed....LOL

However, if the dose of milk of magnesia didn't produce the desired effects, the red bag came out of the cabinet to finish the job 😢 .

My older sister, Lisa and I are the two younger siblings. Out two older sisters enjoyed normal BM's, and so only received laxatives quarterly, when Mom and her sister, Aunt Ruth gave us all our quarterly clean outs. These started with a dose of castor oil Friday night, which always got us going first thing in the morning. We were then given a strong dose of Epsom salts solution. This washed out whatever the Castor oil hadn't moved. Since the castor oil was still working, the Epsom salts did its work quickly. Then, Mom and Aunt Ruth each took two of us for our enemas. We each got two SSE's, and two plain water rinses. These were done with both of us naked, at the same time. We were not paired, so all four got enemas together over time. We all agree that Aunt Ruth gave us the best enemas.

Lisa and I were both chronically constipated, and Mom gave us Fletcher's Castoria at bedtime almost every night. Over time, our colons became acclimated to it, and she switched us to bisacodyl tablets. We're both pretty much immune to it now. If we want to use it, we need six tablets to get things moving. Lisa enjoys the cramping, and occasionally takes10. She sometimes asks me to use our double balloon nozzle to plug her, and keep the plug in until she is crying. We normally do enemas two or three times a week; two SSE's and a salt & soda rinse. We've been living together since her husband passed, and think our enemas have kept us looking younger than our ages.

Diana,

Your mother sounded like a very wise and considerate lady. How old were you when she stopped giving you enemas?

I would have my tummy pushed and prodded and it would be announced that I needed to go to the toilet. A spoonful or two of vile Milk of Magnesia would be forced down my throat and I hated both the taste and texture of it to the point I would turn my head away and clamp my mouth shut. A swift and hard smack on my bottom would make me cry and thus open my mouth. God help me if I didn't swallow it! A period of time would be allowed for the dreaded stuff to work and then a forced and supervised sit on the pot would follow. It would have already been made clear that if I didn't go properly (I never could), I would be going straight across someone's lap to receive a suppository and THAT WOULD make me go! How is it that something so hated is now so arousing?

On a sleepover when I was 10 the girl who was hosting lived in a big house with 3-12 bathrooms, so 4 toilets total.

She brought a pack of 24 Dulcolax. We all did a "laxative challenge" in which we each took 6 of them at the same time

Last one to "go" wins! You are disqualified if you lose it on the way to the toilet.

The other 3 actually had friends texting each other and betting real money on who would be the last to lose control.

No one bet on me!!

Luckily I had not eaten, because at least two had made themselves vomit, the host more than once.

Her mother was hospitalized 7 months later for bulimia!!

Although she was home she didn't do anything to stop it. In fact she was barely seen around.

I managed to hold out the longest. I was "supposed to" be the first!

I got cod liver oil almost every day. I never knew why. It was shoved into my mouth and tasted terrible.

Code Liver oil is not a laxative. It may have a mild laxative effect by lubricating, like some other oils, but is generally not considered to be a laxative. It's mainly a vitamin supplement.

We had prune juice in the fridge at all times and I had to be careful as I liked the taste of it chilled and would drink a small glass all the time. I remember in my teens I was an eating machine and must have eaten 5 or 6 thousand calories a day. I was also in track and running 10 miles a day and the next year in swimming and swimming 6 or 8 thousand yards a day. I would die now before completing either. Too be young again! Anyway for emergencies she also had milk of magnesia. The bag was last resort with one of my brothers the most likely target as he was sickly as a youngster.

In high school I ran track ,rode my bike up to 100 miles a day ran marathons ,played on volleyball league .was a scuba diver and life guard.

In 2002 a hidden time bomb in my DNA exploded ,I can't even standup any more , extremely rare muscle diseases never before seen in combination and never in an American,. Life is cruel !

Sean said:

"Code Liver oil is not a laxative. It may have a mild laxative effect by lubricating,"

Well that was one of the nasty tasting stuff I ever had. I was told by my mother that is what it was for, I was very young and couldn't read at the time, so I had to believe her. I never did check it out as I got older and could read.

At some point in time, she stopped shoving that stuff down my throat.

I don't remember if I ever got an enema as a child. I don't remember any , but much of my childhood is a memory lost in the past. I just don't remember much of it.

There were at least 3 times I can remember that I was given a high dose of Milk Of Magnesia while sitting on the toilet passing the first round

@LisaK

I can also remember getting a dose of Milk of Magnesia while sitting on the toilet after a large, soapy enema for severe constipation..

I was told, the dose was needed "to keep me going".

There was no arguement because the bag was sitting in the sink, in plain view, ready to be refilled.

Mom believed in enemas as opposed to laxatives and enemas was all I got whether or not I needed them...twice a week every Wednesday and Saturday!! Plus an extra one every now and then for good measure!! denise

I have spoken about this before. I was born several months early and had to have surgery at 3 months on my intestines. According to my Mother, prior to the surgery, while I was in the hospital awaiting the surgery, the doctors gave me enemas to remove waste from my body. After the surgery and up to the time I was around 8, my Mother, under the advice of her doctor, gave me enemas with a small red bulb. That all changed when Mom's doctor had to retire due health issues.

Mom's new doctor, upon learning that she was giving me enemas, advised her to stop immediately and instructed her to start giving me an oral laxative. He suggested two... the children's laxative Castoria or my Grandmother's favorite Milk of Magnesia. Mom chose Castoria. I truly hated the taste of Castoria, but Mom was persistent and kept right on pouring the Castoria to me.

One day a neighbor girl told me that I ought to get Mother to give me an adult enema like her Mother gave her. I must say that I asked, no begged, Mom to give me. But, Mom didn't budge. It took me enlisting her Mother to get that to happen. In fact, my Grandmother even bought Mom a Rexall Victoria Combination syringe to use on me.

I must say that I really did enjoy the adult enemas Mom gave me.

But, that stopped as well. Somehow the doctor found out I was again taking them. He called both of us to his office.

Nevertheless, I would sneak enemas every chance I got that was until Mom caught me a third time. At that point, Mom took the syringe and cut it up into pieces. I found it in the garbage and brought it in to her. She just shook her head and said "Mike, you know what the doctor said about you taking enemas!"

Well, the next thing I know, I am back in the doctor's office where he tries to explain to me what enemas do to a body.

Upon leaving the doctor's office, I spoke to Mom. "Mom, don't make me go cold turkey!"

Mom pretended that she did not hear my request so I spoke again "Mom, do you think you could go cold turkey if you were asked to give up your Salem cigarettes."

Well, the next thing I know Mom and I at the town's local Rexall Drug store. Mom gave me some money and said "ok, Mike if you want enemas, then you are going to have to purchase the enema bag yourself!" Well, I purchased a syringe just like the one Mom cut up.

I used that bag all through high school. But, when it came to going off to college, Mom didn't think I should take a syringe to school because I would be staying in a dorm. So, to be sure I had something that could help me to go Mom packed me several boxes of Ex-Lax chocolate wafers. And, when I got to feeling miserable I'd chew a couple. The thing that I remember the most about them was that the Ex-Lax gave me terrible cramps.

When I finally got a chance to go back home, Mom met me at the door.. We went into the kitchen and sat at the kitchen table where I told Mom about my classes and then she asked "well, Mike, how did you like the Ex-Lax?"

I told her "the Ex-Lax did help, but I missed taking enemas. They work so much better!"

Mom then replied "Mike, if you want to take one, your enema bag is hanging in your bathroom."

I guess you might know what I did.

Laxatives were the exception. A good 3nena was done to make sure I was well trained and regular

Only was given mineral or castor oil as a kid. A few enemas.

When I have been about nine years old I have had a severe form of an influenza with a long-lasting constipation. I should receive an enema but I refused this one completely. So I was invited to drink a cup of hot milk with another liquid inside - today I know that this liquid has been castor oil.

As a kid growing up, I was fortunate that my mother decided small enemas were more appropriate than laxatives for my occasional needs. I only remember a few times when I got Fletcher's Castoria. I do remember that I came to realize somewhere around 10 years old that a small enema was much preferred to the Castoria and so if mom suggested an enema would help my stomach ache, I was careful not to protest too much so I would not get Castoria instead of the enema.

Through the years as an adult I just decided there is no reason to take an oral laxative just to shit. What fun is that? An enema is better in so many ways.

First time I ever had to swallow pills whole without chewing was when I was 9. My father gave me one bisacodyl tablet a couple of hours before a 2-quart soapsuds enema.

I was given some foul tasting laxative when very young but i usually threw it up. So I started getting bulb enemas. Then transitioned to the bag by age 6. My mom was a frequent enema user too. I never received a laxative after about age 3 just enemas and it is still that way.

Till age 10 I got enemas and suppositories (as most of us) for constipation, but after mom switched for laxative medicines as they became more widely available.

The family Pediatrician (age 9--up/1959 on) was not happy with oral laxatives.He'd go with minimal use of Castoria but specified castille soapy water enemas as being superior for childhood constipation.Age 7 or younger with the Bulb--age 8 or older with the enema bag.

I was given some foul tasting laxative when very young but i usually threw it up.

This has been the mistake: Any foul tasting laxative should be given in such a manner that no persone would be able to remark that nothing else than an effective laxative has been given. - In this respect my mother has been very intelligent.